The present invention relates to an intensity modulated fiber temperature optic switching immersion probe for remote temperature monitoring and switching of an industrial process. The present invention also provides a method for remote sensing of temperature.
Conventionally, thermometers, thermocouples and pyrometers are used to measure and control the temperature, but they are not immune to hostile, corrosive and electro-magnetically noisy environment. The novelty about this probe is the use of optical fibers in conjunction with a cell containing a chemical and resulting in a change of light level at its melting point. This arrangement overcomes the above mentioned problems effectively and provides the added advantage of remote monitoring. The cell is opaque to light at room temperature but becomes transparent at a given higher temperature enabling actuation of a relay to stop the heating process or raise an alarm. There is no electric signal being guided in this probe. It is only the light signal which is guided through optical fibers and is unaffected by the presence of electrical signals.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a reliable, durable, cost-effective and in-situ temperature switching fiber optic immersion probe, which overcomes most of the drawbacks present in conventional temperature probes as detailed above.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for remote sensing of temperature using this immersion probe.
Further object of the present invention is to provide an immersion probe for remote sensing temperature having a chemical that is non-toxic, non-inductive, non-conductive and non-corrosive.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an immersion probe for remote sensing of temperature in harsh working conditions.
The present invention relates to an intensity modulated fiber optic temperature switching immersion probe for remote temperature monitoring and switching of an industrial process. The present invention also provides a method for remote sensing of temperature. The present invention adopts a method wherein the melting of point of the chemical substance determines the switching mode for the device.